Storage apparatus



Feb. 7, 1939.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA US STORAGE. APPARATUS Filed June 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2r x Ati,

F Q .O INVEN"TOR.

'AT O NEY.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORAGE APPARATUSFrancis J. Straub, New Kensington, Pa. Application June 2, 1937, SerialNo. 145,955

6 Claims.

This invention is an improvement in the art of storing and deliverirgaggregate for use in making Concrete, and consists in the method andapparatus therefor.

Ordinarily, raw aggregate of different kinds, as cinders, gravel, etc.,is charged into an overhead bin or Container, as by an elevator or othersuitable means for use by withdrawal from the bottom as required.

As the material is delivered into the upper portion of the bin andaccumulates therein from the bottom upwards, it assumes an upper coneformation, sloping downwardly around the central point or Zone of thesupply flow. With material consisting of a Constant non-uniformcharacter as to size, i. e., coarse, intermediate, and

fine, the larger pieces tend to run off towards the outer wall of thebin and the smaller pieces and fines tend to pile up in its verticalmiddle section.

a Such tendency results in an undesirable segregation which isordinarily maintained throughsults.

Such variation is particularly objectionable in connection with inmaking buildi the storage and use of cinders ng blocks or other separateunits,

where continuous similarity and regularity is highly desirable andnecessary. My invention has in view to sub-dividing the correctsegregation tendency by main transverse area of the bin or containerinto one primary and several secondary chambers, with restricted slopemovement and minimized segregation. Also by means for moving thematerial from one supplemental or secondary compartment to the other aseach is filled, to effect a mixing of partially segrgated material, asmore fully hereinafter described.

The invention also includes a modified construction provid dividing thesev ing varying depths of partitions eral secondary chambers whereby asthe central mass gravitates towards the outlet Opening of the bin theflow thereinto from the secondary chambers is successively controlled orregulated.

Certain preferred constructions are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a central Vertical section of a bin showing one form utilizingmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a Similar section in perspective illustrating the use ofVariable depth partitions;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the same construction of bin as in Fig. 1but provided with means for distributing the material annularly from onesupplemental bin to another;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial Similar section illustrating overflow from themiddle or primary chamber to one of the supplemental chambers.

Referring to the simplest embodiment of the invention, as in Fig. 1 themain bin 2 is of usual conventional construction, either cylindrical orrectangular in cross section, having an open top .and a tapered orhopper bottom portion 3 terminating in an outlet discharge Opening 4having a Closing gate 5 of suitable construction. While a hopper bottomis usually preferable, it will be understood that a flat bottom with oneor more discharge openings may be used, the material in the cornersitself supporting the upper gravitating mass towards the outlet.

A middle initially receiving chamber A is provided by means of an innervertical shell 6, spaced inwardly from the main wall of bin 2, providingample surrounding space for a series of supplemental overfiow chambersB, C, D and E as shown in Fig. 3. These chambers are formed by radialseparating partitions 'l which in Fig. 1 are of the same depth as shell6 and With it and the outer main wall, provide the several open top andbottom cavities or overfiow chambers above noted.

It Will also be understood that instead of the partitions may besubstituted bracing rods or the like Connecting and holding the middleshell in position, with a continuous open annular chamber. In such casematerial may overflow thereinto all around or at one side only, withresulting average regularity throughout.

In such form aggregate is delivered by gravity at the upper centralportion of the bin and of the inner chamber A by any suitable means, asa conventional chute 8 and elevator 9.

The material first enters the middle chamber A, filling the taperedbottom 3 up to the lowermost dotted line capacity a. Thereaftercontinued feeding successively fills the chamber A as indicated by thesuccessive higher coniform zones b, c, d, e, and overfiow zone f,conforming to usual gravity distribution of such material. The middlechamber having been filled to Zone e, further supply will overflow theupper edges of shell 6.

All such additional material, including coarse, intermediate, .and fine,will flow radially off of the middle cone into the several outercompartments B, C, D and E, until the entire receiving capacity of thewhole bin is filled.

Assuming the main bin is of conventional size, say ten feet in diameter,and the inner shell 6 to be say one third to one half of such dimension,the coniform flow in filling chamber A is thus SO limited, as throughbut one half of its diameter, as to avoid any substantial outersegregation of coarse grades throughout its length. Ordinarily, afterthe first filling and in usual day-after-day use, with continued supplyat the top, the tapered bottom cavity will be always full and more orless in all of the chambers, well above the coniform zone a.

Assuming the bin to be empty, the first filling will of course providefor a limited additional cone flow reaching its maximum as at Zone aoutwardly towards the inwardly taperng bottom wall 3, with some slightouter accumulation of coarse sizes.

Downward flow against the tapered wall surfaces toward the outlet willtend to effect a degree of reaction and admixture of any such coarsesizes with middle body intermediates and fines, with material approachtowards average consistenoy.

Such approach is greatly assisted and practically perfect and regularnormal re-arrangement of the particles is efiected 'by the addition ofthe whole mass of all sizes flowing over the middle uppermost cone e anddownwardly through the several fianking chambers B, C, D and E. Suchsupply naturally combines with the initial cone a, fiowing inwardly anddownwardly therewith towards the outlet, and the desirable generalaverage consistency at the outlet is maintained.

I show in Fig. 2 a modified construction in which the. several radialpartitions 1 between the several chambers B, C, D and E extendsuccessively beyond the lower edge of the next adjacent partitionproviding a series of progressively deeper partition terminals. Thus onepartition may terninate at the bottom edge of the shell, as at Hi, eachnext succeeding partition being deeper, more or less as desired,depending on, the material and working conditions. Such arrangement isof material advantage in automatically regulating the flow to and alsoin partially filling the uppermost portion of the tapered bottom 3,especially in connection with the overfiow sweep operation of Figs. 3 to5, now to be described.

As therein shown the bin is like the one above described but is providedwith a series of annularly moving slow speed sweeps or scoops irevolving around its top inner portion, above the shell G. These extenddownwardly from radial arms or spokes il extending from a central hub 13secured to a drive shafi; 14 which is driven by any suitable gearing, asa belt and pulley 15, IS).

In such construction the delivery from chute 8 enters the shell slightlyoff center for clearance of the hub and shat, with resulting lateralformation of the cone towards one side. The contents of shell 6, uponbeing filled between the slow rotating arns Z to the top, at one id wintherefore overflow to the closest adjacent compartment, as B.

Such compartment will thus be filled to the top as in Fig. 5, the othersreceiving little or no aggregate directly.

Thereupon surplus material having risen Within range of sweeps l, willbe carried around over the next adjacent partition 'I into chamber C. Itbeing thus filled, surplus will be carried over into chamber D, and inthe same manner finally to chamber E. Assuming that material is beingwithdrawn, the operation of filling the several compartments will varyconsiderably and the height of each such charge will thus depend onworking conditions.

In this connection the variation in length of the several partitions asin Fig. 2 becomes a useful feature in relieving the frictional wear onthe sweeps, the abrasion of the aggregate on them being apt to besevere. It will be seen that, the contents of chamber B being dischargedinto the bottom cavity more freely by reason of the shorter partition,and somewhat checked by the next successively longer ones, contents ofcertain of the compartnents will sink below the sweeps as the operationproceeds, thus relieving them from wear.

The construction, advantages, and manner of use of my invention will bereadily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description, andit will be found to contribute materially to the making of regular andconsistently uniform aggregate for the manufacture of Concrete,especially in unit forms.

It will be understood that the bin and its parts may be made of suitablematerial, as Sheet metal, planking, Concrete, etc., properly supportedas to foundation, and with suitable lower clearance for trackway, batchreceptacles, etc. Also that the apparatus may be changed or varied bythe builder or designer according to local requirements or otherwise,within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A storage bin for aggregate-iorming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a hopper bottom, a middle casing having an open topand bottom the lower end of which terminates at a substantial distanceabove the upper end of the hopper bottom, and an overfiow cavity betweenthe main and middle casing walls.

2. A storage bin for aggregate-forming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a full cross area open top and a hopper bottomhaving a discharge Opening, a middle casing having an open top andbottom the lower end of which terminates at a substantial distance abovethe upper end of the hopper bottom, said middle casing being spacedinwardly from the main casing to provide overflow chamber space betweenthe main and middle casing.

3. A storage bin for aggregate-forming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a full cross area open top and an inwardly slopinghopper bottom having a discharge Opening, a middle casing having an opentop and bottom the lower end of which terminates at a substantialdistance above the upper end of the hopper bottom, and radial partitionsbetween the main and middle casing providing overfiow chambers.

4. A storage bin for aggregate-forming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a full cross area open top and an inwardly slopinghopper bottom having a discharge Opening, a middle casing having an opentop and bottom the lower end of which terminates at a substantialdistance above the upper end of the hopper bottom, and radial partitionsbetween the main and middle casing having lower edges terminating atvarying distances with relation to the bottom of the middle casingproviding overfiow chambers.

5. A storage bin for aggregate-forming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a full cross area open top and a hopper bottomhaving a discharge Opening, a middle casing having an open top andbottom the lower end of which terminates at a substantial distance abovethe upper end of the hopper bottom, said middle casing being spacedinwardly from the main casing, and radial partitions of varying lengthbetween the main and middle casing providing overflow chambers Openinginto the bottom of the main casing.

6. A storage bin for aggregate-forming material consisting of a maincasing provided with a full cross area open top and an nwardly slopinghopper bottom having a discharge Opening, a middle casing having an opentop and bottom the lower end of which termnates at a substantialdistance above the upper end of the hopper bottom, and radial partitionsbetween the main and middle casing providing overflow chambers wherebyexcess accumulation at the upper receiving portions of both casings maybe caused to pass laterally from above one chamber to another.

FRANCIS J. STRAUB.

